17 May, 2023Trade unions across Asia are taking steps to promote inclusion and opportunities for LGBTQI+ workers. From challenging discriminatory practices to creating safe and equitable workplaces, unions are proving that they can be agents of change.
Here is a look at a few examples of progress made in Sri Lanka, Thailand and India.
Prompting change in Sri Lanka: the rise of a transgender national union
IndustriALL’s affiliate NUMMS in Sri Lanka is actively supporting the formation of a transgender union, with the aim to create a more inclusive, equitable, and just society, where transgender workers can enjoy equal rights, dignity, and opportunities in the workplace and beyond.
In Sri Lanka, the fight for transgender rights has reached new heights as trade unions rally together to support the creation of a transgender national union. On May Day this year, at an important march for unions in Sri Lanka, transgender workers joined in the march hand in hand with trade unions with a common message:
“We demand rights for transgender individuals”
May Day 2023 in Sri Lanka
This transformative journey is shedding light on the struggles faced by transgender individuals and the resilience they demonstrate in pursuing their rightful place within the labour movement.
“Transgender individuals have no policies or laws protecting them in Sri Lanka. C190 came as an opportunity and allowed us to openly question policies of government and their agendas relating to transgender workers and their protection. The president of the transgender workers union is working hard on this topic, and we are supporting them,”
said Sulani Mendis, NUMMS organizer.
By actively engaging with transgender workers and their allies, trade unions in Sri Lanka are playing a pivotal role in dismantling discriminatory practices and advocating for comprehensive legal protections. NUMMS see the potential to reshape the landscape of labour rights for transgender individuals across the country.
Legislation is key to protect marginalised communities and a tool for unions to use and to fight for
Vipawan Boksantea, is a trade union organizer at the Thailand Auto Part and Metalworkers’ Union (TAM). She is also an active member of the CILT youth working group.
Vipawan at youth conference in the Philippines
“Seeing LGBTQI+ workers express themselves freely and inspire others makes my work worth it!”
says Vipawan.
Thailand has made notable progress in terms of recognizing and protecting the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals.
Thailand is known for being one of the more progressive countries in Asia when it comes to legal recognition of transgender individuals. In 2015, the government passed a Gender Equality Act, which provides legal protection against discrimination based on gender identity. Additionally, Thailand allows transgender individuals to change their legal gender on identification documents, allowing for recognition and acceptance.
While Thailand has made strides in advancing LGBTQI+ rights, challenges and discrimination still exist. Efforts to secure comprehensive legal protections, combat societal stigma, and promote further inclusivity are ongoing objectives for the LGBTQI+ community and their allies in Thailand.
The Thai government does not have an explicit ban or policy preventing LGBTI individuals from working in the public sector based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. But it still remains very conservative and relatively closed to LGBTQ+ workers.
Vipawan has thrived in a male dominated sector as a woman part of the LGBTQI+ community, she has benefitted from opportunities that never questioned her gender identity or sexual orientation but her skill as a worker and a trade union activist.
Legislation plays a big part in acceptance in communities and workplaces. As trade unions we have a role to play when it comes to pushing government and changing policies to make societies more inclusive and to ensure that all workers no matter their gender are protected.
Entering the workplace with your gender identity intact
TATA is one of India's biggest companies and plays an important role in the community in Jamshedpur, where its operations are spread.
The company has a complex history with unions and the workforce, marked by both conflict and cooperation. In recent years, TATA has demonstrated a commitment to engagement, cooperation, and employee welfare, reflecting a shift towards a more positive and productive relationship with its unions and workforce.
The TATA company has become a beacon of hope for LGBTQI+ workers seeking acceptance and equal opportunities in India. The company has implemented policies that prioritize inclusivity and foster a culture of respect.
IndustriALL met with a group of transgender workers and trainees at TATA’s training facilities in Jamshedpur, to understand how the company reached out to them and what has been put in place to make them an integral part of the workforce.
The company advertised the training course for LGBTQI+ community through job portals and NGOs throughout the country and actively reached out to advertise their training programme. The company also made efforts to help provide training for TATA employees, trainers, and staff on the shop floor to learn and accept this added diversity that would be introduced in the workforce. This would be an instrumental step in ensuring that the trainees were fully integrated in the workforce.
TATA training center in Jamshedpur
Yashasvi
“There is a lack of gender awareness, my family didn’t accept my coming out, and my education and future goal were impacted because I was not accepted. Then some people get into drug addiction and have no future at all.”
Rohan
“The workplace is more accepting now compared to 2022. The TATA mentorship programme and buddy system which allows us to share issues with our seniors has helped a lot. Coming out as transgender in 2017 meant that I had to leave school and enter the informal sector, which mostly consists of daily wage labour and gig work. I come from a small town in West Bengal where even wearing pants as a woman is not accepted.”
Shukla
“This is how I have always been, my mother thought that it would be something that would pass but it didn’t, this created issues at home regarding acceptance. I am from Kalkutta where I used to work in finance, people didn’t accept me in my previous workplace. I am fully accepted as myself in this workplace.”
“You enter TATA with your gender identity intact! This is extremely important,”
Raj
“My family accepted my transition, but I faced discrimination in college since my birth name was a female name. My peers were judgmental about my gender identity. I took up odd jobs in the informal sector, which was not easy at all, before applying to the training course at TATA.”
Aarav
“I experienced discrimination in my neighbourhood. My mother would be told that I was a girl behaving like a boy. I didn’t face violence but one day my father got angry and got rid of all of my male clothes. I couldn’t finish school and had to take up odd jobs to survive.”
Anubhav
“My elder brother is also trans man and that made me hide my identity growing up as I didn’t want my family to be troubled further. While growing up, I came in touch with a sports coach and trained as an athlete and even represented my province. This helped me quite a bit as I would spend a lot of time away from my family and neighborhood’s discriminatory gaze.
IndustriALL’s affiliate in TATA is not only bolstering the company’s effort to create safe spaces for trans workers but are also exploring avenues to include trans workers in union structures to make organizations more inclusive. TATA is doing its part in terms of its duty of care towards employees and workers must build on this.
Creating more inclusive unions should not be a goal – it should be a reality
Unions can be catalysts for change in advancing LGBTQI+ inclusion in the workplace and society at large. By challenging discriminatory practices, fostering awareness, and creating safe spaces, these unions are laying the foundation for a future where all workers can thrive regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Unions, sometimes together with employers, can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone. The experiences of LGBTQI+ workers who have found empowerment and recognition prove that diversity enhances productivity and can contribute to a prosperous future for employers and workers.
Creating more inclusive unions should not be a goal but a reality because the workforce is already changing. Workers are already diverse, and unions must take their issues seriously. Unions have to have inclusive structure as it will ensure they are at the forefront of workers’ struggles of today.
"Unions have to stand up for all working people whatever their background. As unions we need the biggest collective possible to win good collective agreements and good working conditions, These examples from Sri Lanka, Thailand and India show a very strong commitment to including LGBTQI+ workers to strengthen these communities, but also to strengthen the trade union movement in general. We need more examples like this."
Says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary.